[Harry Moon]

Freedom Route 4 Day 3
The Hot sun got us all up early, the 2 trucks in Penticton got to the Tire shop an hour before opening and they opened up for them and got there tires fixed and even arranged for us to pick up the increasingly scarce spare tubes ahead on our trip. They quickly got down to Oliver and joined the main group who, after finishing breakfast were at the Hester Creek winery doing a tour and some tasting before seemingly everybody was loading up cases of the local grape juice.
Together again it was south on 97 to Osoyoos (elev. 987 feet) for gas and to check everything for the long steep climb east on Highway 3. This is a big intimidating climb that truckers avoid. This is a long zigzag climb that starts at the edge of town and keeps going up without any level spots for 27kms till you reach Anarchist Summit (elev. 5082 feet) If you missed a shift you and everybody behind you fell way back. About an hour and a half at only 15 to 20 mph it took some time to get to the summit. Amazingly shortly after passing the summit we were all within sight of each other. It was 30 C at the bottom but rain and sleet at the top. A little meandering about the road was observed as sweaters and toques got pulled on
On down into Rock Creek the highway now followed the old Kettle Valley Railroad route through Midway, Greenwood and on to our destination for the day, Grand Forks (elev. 1706 feet).
Throughout the day the rivers and streams we passed were overflowing and brown from the late spring runoff and erosion. Our Campground was in danger of flooding and the local officials were keeping a close eye on it. It was amazing to watch some pretty big green trees floating by in the current of the Kettle River.
We also heard from Don and Fred Robson, who were trying to catch up and join us, had blown a head gasket around the Hope slide area and would be turning back.
The Legion opened up for us for a quick tour but for most of us, it was off to the pub for Game 3 of the Stanley cup finals. Unfortunately by the 3rd period most of us were doing our PM’s on our trucks or otherwise trying to forget game 3!
Day three, 146 very hard Kms but we all made it!